Dan wonders: Are the Astros going the wrong way?

Dan Peschong steps up to the plate today with a movie analogy and a challenge that ends with a pertinent question.

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In one of my favorite scenes from one of my favorite holiday movies “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”, the lamentably late John Candy hilariously spins out the car containing himself and kill-joy Steve Martin and re-enters the freeway by way of the exit ramp.

A couple in a car across the median notices the impending disaster occurring a few yards away, gets Martin to roll down his window and yells at him, frantically …

“You’re going the wrong way!”

Martin replies, “What?”

The man repeats, “You’re going the wrong way!”

Martin relays to Candy, “He says we’re going the wrong way.”

Candy brushes it off, “Oh, he’s drunk. How would he know where we’re going?”

The disoriented Martin agrees, “Yeah, how would he know?”

Then he condescendingly waves off the couple, “Thank you. Thanks a lot.”

And they roll on to an almost head-on collision with two side-by-side semis.

So, while (the also lamentably late) John Hughes was not picturing the 2011 Astros when he wrote this scene – I am. I see a stretch limo driven by Ed Wade with Tal Smith riding shot gun and navigating, while Drayton is alone in the back with his satellite TV and non-alcoholic bar. Brad Mills is running behind / trying to keep up after being tied to the bumper like Aunt Edna’s dog in National Lampoon’s Vacation (another Hughes written flick).

The part of this scene that is fuzzy is the part of you the loyal fan (or cynical critic) as you drive along side, the team limo. Do you see this management group and its team going the wrong way? Going the right way too slowly? Going the right way and all you speeders need to slow it down and quit the tailgating and honking?

Your answer may depend on your interpretation of what is “going the right way”.

If you thought going the right way was a complete turn over of the roster ala 1991 Astros with a huge youth movement, you are at least partially disappointed. While 2011’s team does sport a number of newbies vs. the opening day roster of 2010 (Wallace and Johnson being the most obvious) this year’s roster is only a ½ year younger on the average vs. their 2010 roster. Also a number of the largest off-season changes brought us some not so popular and older free agents like Hall and Barmes.

If you thought going the right way was supplementing the end of 2010 roster with a big power arm and a big power bat – I present to you ladies and gentlemen Ryan Rowland-Smith (in the minors) and Bill Hall (doing his best Feliz/Kazmat imitation).

If you thought going the right way did not include handing 80% of the bullpen over to neophytes – you are living with some deer in the headlights outings instead.

If you thought they should have sent Carlos Lee (while eating his contract), Wandy, Myers and Pence packing for even more youth – they are all still here and Wandy has a brand new $30 million obligation hanging over the team.

If you thought going the right way was getting a new, deep pockets and baseball savvy owner – you are in a holding pattern just like Jordan Lyles.

If, like myself and Bill “you don’t climb out of a 5 year hole with a 1 year ladder” Holmes – you look at the dearth of ready to contribute minor league players and the fact that you need two to tango on trades – you may have a little more patience about the situation and are not asking every 5 miles on the way to Disneyworld – “Are we there yet”?

So step into the box, knock the dirt off those spikes, glare at the pitcher and get ready to take a big swing.